Birdhouse Labyrinth, acrylic painting

"Birdhouse Labyrinth" is an original acrylic painting on stretched canvas. The painting measures 24” x 18”. The wood floater frame has a black matte finish and measures 25.5" tall by 19.5" wide by 2" thick. Wired and ready to hang.

The underdrawing for this painting includes a grid, which remains in the painted blocks and direction symbols - North, South, East, West. While browsing at an estate sale one afternoon, I came across a silver tie clasp that has a footprint on it. This is front and center of the labyrinth design I painted as the door to this birdhouse. I love labyrinth designs and the meditative healing practice of walking labyrinths. I have done many paintings of labyrinths, since I first learned about them. (**See my poem about my first experience below)

✒︎ Tybo’s Tall Tales*: This painting is strange, but I see it as a reenactment. A couple of Greek birds are telling the story of their ancestors, and how the pitiful humans got stuck in a labyrinth, and the majestic birditaur would free their spirits and turn them into birds, where they were much happier.

*My 15-year old grandson’s summer job was to stock my Etsy shop. One of his duties was to write about my artwork :)

** Labyrinth

Seeing no way in as I approach,
Panic pushes me to step over the line;
I enter from where I am.
Stocking feet step carefully, quietly
One in front of the other.
Inside the contours we stir around
Turning back, re-circling silently
Moving past one another.

After ten minutes of this endeavor
I pass “go” – the starting point
Marked by a box of tissues, and I think
Isn’t that just like my life?
Timing, which is everything, keeps me
Too far ahead and so far behind.
Once again I begin this journey
Pretending to know how.

My lives pass before my eye and
Pound inside my inner ear,
Tracing imprints on layers of my chaos –
Uncoiling and clarifying all that was
And all that ever shall be – Oh,
The uncertainty of all those choices!
I think of my family then and now
And stop in my tracks.

Waiting for balance – then moving
Steadily again aiming for the rose.
In the center I exhale through a smile.
I can’t think of anything I need right now.
Wanting to dance and stifling my giggles,
I re-track my steps and find my way out –
Not wanting to disturb this pensive
Prayerful path for others.